Cardinal Notebook: Preparing is key part of the game

Hal Pilger

Friday

Jul 27, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 27, 2007 at 2:26 PM

Backup catcher GARY BENNETT has barely batted above .200 most of the season, but he has proven to be a valuable replacement for YADIER MOLINA behind the plate because, like Molina, he works well with pitchers and controlling the tempo of games.

"I think it's very important for your defense," Bennett says of maintaining a fairly rapid tempo. "Those guys stand out there and if you've got a very slow pace going, they're kind of lulled to sleep out there. A ball's hit, and they're not going to be as ready to react.

"On the flip side, if your pitcher's working crisp and firing the ball, working in the zone, your fielders are into it and it's going to be a lot more crisp game."

Bennett credits pitching coach DAVE DUNCAN for having the Cardinals pitchers and catchers well prepared for each game and the respective opposing batters they must deal with.

"I think it's big knowing - having an idea of the game plan, so to speak - of how you're going to approach their lineup," Bennett said. "If you go out there blind and you're not sure how (the pitcher) wants to work the hitters or he's not sure what your thinking and we don't know what Dunc's thinking, well obviously if nobody's on the same page there's going to be a lot of shaking (off signs) and there's going to be a lot of time between pitches.

"But if you go before the game, you have your meeting and have an idea of what guys' strengths and weaknesses are and how they match up against your pitcher that day - or your relievers - it makes it a lot easier for everyone else and there's a lot less shakin' going on."

-CARDS QUIZ: When SKIP SCHUMAKER's 10th-inning, two-run home run sent St. Louis to a 7-2 win over Atlanta on Sunday, it was the fourth extra-inning, game-winning homer for the Cards this season, matching the franchise high. In what year was that high previously accomplished? Answer below.

-SIX SHOOTERS: Six different Cardinals have hit game-winning home runs in the club's last at-bat on the road this season: CHRIS DUNCAN (April 11 at Pittsburgh); ALBERT PUJOLS (April 22 at Chicago; JUAN ENCARNACION (June 1 at Houston); Bennett (June 3 at Houston); BRENDAN RYAN (June 26 at N.Y.); and Schumaker (above).

-JULY STUDS: Entering Thursday night's game, CHRIS DUNCAN had a .389 (21-or-54) batting average in July, which was tied for fifth-best in the National League (minimum 50 plate appearances). Schumaker had 18 hits in 37 July at-bats for a .486 batting average and had scored 10 runs with seven RBIs in 16 games.

-FALL LEAGUE: The Arizona Fall League announced this week that Cardinals prospects will join those from the Red Sox, Cubs, Astros and Brewers in forming the Mesa Solar Sox club.

Cardinals minor league pitching coordinator MARK RIGGINS will serve as pitching coach for Mesa, while DAVE CLARK of the Astros will be the manager.

-RISING SONS: The Yankees' SHELLEY DUNCAN is the son of the Cardinals pitching coach and brother of Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan. Last Saturday, Chris and Shelley each hit home runs, with Shelley collecting his first career homer in a Yankees win over Tampa Bay.

According to SABR's (Society for American Baseball Research) DAVID VINCENT, Shelley's first big league homer made it the sixth occurrence where a father and multiple sons have played and homered in the big leagues. The others were SANDY ALOMAR (sons SANDY and ROBERTO); BUDDY BELL (DAVID and MICHAEL); BOB BOONE (BRET and AARON); JIMMY COONEY (JIMMY and JOHNNY), and LARRY GILBERT (CHARLIE and TOOKIE).

-IN A PINCH: Through 97 games, the Cardinals were first in the N.L in pinch hits with 43, and they also ranked first with a .281 pinch batting average. The next closest club was the Reds, with 35 pinch hits.

RYAN LUDWICK led the Cardinals with eight pinch hits, and eight members of the Cardinals had four or more. St. Louis was on pace for 72 pinch hits this season. The team high since 1974 is 67 pinch hits in 2002. The Cards have had 55 or more pinch hits in each of their last five seasons from 2002-2006.

-TIME CHANGE: ESPN has picked up the Aug. 6 game vs. San Diego at Busch Stadium and has moved the start time up an hour to 6:08 p.m. (CDT).

-QUIZ ANSWER: The Cardinals first recorded four game-winning, extra-inning homers in 1957.

-END QUOTE: Manager TONY LA RUSSA on pitcher BRAD THOMPSON: "He's got a really kind face. And he has one of the shortest fuses on this club. He gets so upset with himself; sometimes that doesn't work for him. But you know he's going to be out there grinding as hard as he can."

Hal Pilger can be reached at (217) 788-1548 or hal.pilger@sj-r.com.

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